The Treasure of Youth
by emlizT
Summary: After the death of her father and the slow healing process of her mother just beginning, Hermione is in a very vulnerable position. It's hard on her. Oddly enough, she begins to develop a friendship with Draco Malfoy, a sleazy Slytherin. Will it be a true friendship or just a ploy to get her into Voldemort's grasp? *Sequel to A Child's Bane*
1. Chapter 1

**The Treasure of Youth**

**Chapter #1: Paperwork**

The clock had just finished chiming 12 am in the morning when Snape slumped wearily into the armchair and blearily muttered a heating charm for his quarters. The soft chair's fabric seemed to wrap around his thin frame and hug him close. The professor moaned softly in frustration as his mind went back to the problem at hand: How in the world had Miss Granger-yes, he had resumed calling her that-chosen _him_, the bat of the dungeons, as her permanent _guardian_.

"The girl must have hit her head or something today. She definitely needs a healer if her brain is that addled," Snape growled irately, trying to figure out a reason for Miss Granger's lapse of sense.

But, no matter how he acted, _really_! giving a gift to the little brat, Snape refused to accept that he might _care_ for this _child_. For goodness sakes, he was supposed to hate children! However, even as he formed these thoughts, his heart rebelled; it started to question his determination in that statement. _Do you really hate children, Severus? You don't, _I_ know that and so do you. Do you really detest _Hermione_ that much?_

"Stop that!" Snape said loudly, "Stop that," he repeated, quieter, feebler, "I shouldn't like children. I just _shouldn't_."

Snape shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. He pushed himself from the comfort of the old armchair and headed towards the fireplace, making a decision. The fireplace was empty of any flames and looked rather lonely and sad. _Like me_, Snape thought wryly.

"_Incendio,"_ Snape said distractedly and pointed his wand at the empty hearth. He reached into a small nook above the fireplace and withdrew and small brown pouch. He took a pinch of its green powdery contents and flung them into the roaring flames.

"Headmaster Dumbledore's office!" Snape enunciated clearly and stuck his head into the flames.

"My dear Severus!" the headmaster greeted cheerily despite the late hour, "What brings you here today, my boy?"

"Miss Granger," Snape replied curtly.

"Ah…," Dumbledore winked knowingly before continuing, "The offer from Miss Granger is still valid, Severus. You have only to sign the papers. Both the mother and daughter have agreed, as you well know."

"I know," Snape sighed in a fatigued fashion, "I know that quite well, headmaster. The hour is late, I must be going now, sir."

Dumbledore nodded gently before responding, "I'll have the papers laid out in my office first thing tomorrow morning. I'll be waiting."  
>-<p>

Hermione had been trudging around the school for the past week. It was uncharacteristic of her to not pay attention during class and her friends and professors had noticed. Hermione seemed to hunch into a little ball every time someone came around. She flinched at every little sound and made inexcusable mistakes on homework assignments and practice tests. Finally, Harry and Ron had had enough.

"Hermione," Harry began, "What's wrong? We're the ones taking notes in class now."

"Yeah!" Ron agreed passionately, "Blood hell! I nearly lost a hand to all that note taking!"

"You _are_ alright, right?" Harry asked tentatively.

"I'm fine, _really_," Hermione muttered exasperatedly before continuing on her way.

Harry and Ron exchanged a worried glance and hurried to catch up.

"'Mione…don't you trust us?" Harry asked.

"Of _course_, Harry. Just…it's hard, okay? I'm alright, you have to stop worrying so much," Hermione responded, sounding affronted.

Just as Ron was about to interject with an opinion of his own, Harry stopped abruptly causing Rona to crash into him.

"Oi! Why'd you do that, mate?" Ron exclaimed in surprise as the pair crashed to the floor.

Harry raised his head and saw Snape looming above the pair of them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hermione running down the hallway, robes billowing behind her. Harry jabbed Ron roughly in his ribs since he continued to babbly complaints.

"Shut up, Ron!" Harry whispered, "It's Snape," he added as clarification.

Ron's mouth opened in a silent 'O' and scrambled to his feet. He offered a hand to Harry who accepted it and pulled himself up.

"Professor!" Harry said as he stood up.

"Potter," Snape replied dryly, "Five points from Gryffindor for fighting." He noticed Ron and raised an eyebrow, "Ten points for fighting with a fellow Gryffindor."

"We weren't _fighting_!" Ron protested, "Sir," he added belatedly.

Harry, too, gave his point of view, "We weren't fighting, sir. I stopped and Ron crashed into me."

Snape's eyebrow crept higher, "I see. Well no matter, you've probably committed some other crime. The loss of points stay. Now, would you know where Miss Granger might be headed to. The headmaster was looking for her."

"Probably to class…_like everyone else_," Ron answered snidely, before trotting off down the hallway with Harry in tow.

Snape watched the pair run off towards their respective classrooms with a determination to make their lives miserable today. He continued towards his earlier destination before seeing Miss Granger: the Headmaster's Office.

"Chocolate liquorice," Snape said by way of password shaking his head, internally, at the childish headmaster.

"Severus!" the headmaster greeted. He stood up from behind his desk, showing off his bright green robes and picked up a familiar tin can, "Lemon drops?"

Snape's mouth turned into a slight grimace when he replied, "No thank-you, Headmaster."

Dumbledore smiled and popped one in his mouth, "Are you sure? They are quite delicious."

"Yes, I'm sure, Headmaster. Now where are the papers?" Snape responded.

"Right here, my boy. Now you just sign right here, and here, and here," Dumbledore pushed a pile of papers towards Snape and pointed at the spots where he should sign. Dumbledore himself signed as a witness and put away the papers.

"Later, Miss Granger will have to sign her final consent but that can wait _after_ you tell her the delightful news. Go along now, Severus. I'm sure you have a class to teach or at least prepare for," the headmaster concluded and dismissed the young professor.  
>-<p>

Hermione stared out the third floor window of the Charms classroom and allowed her mind to wander. The clear blue sky and lush green grass seemed to call out to her. She promised herself that she would go out for a walk after dinner.

Meanwhile, she wondered what Snape had wanted with her. Hermione had hid in a small crevice in the wall to eavesdrop on Snape and Harry and Ron's conversation. What if Snape had agreed to being her guardian? _ Hermione Jean Granger! You know very well what Snape chose and it wasn't you, so stop fantasizing._ Hermione sighed inaudibly and turned her attention back to class.

She was surprised to see Snape walk into the classroom and cast his icy gaze over the room.

"May I help you, Professor Snape?" Professor Flitwick asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I shall need to borrow Miss Granger from class," Snape requested to her surprise.

"Ah…Miss Granger. Yes, you may take her. Go along, Hermione" Flitwick replied easily.

"Bring your things, Miss Granger. You won't be back in time for the end of this class," Snape ordered and whisked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Trasure of Youth**

**Chapter #2: Adoption**

Hermione treaded softly behind Professor Snape's billowing steps. The quite echoes of her shoes hitting the stone floor reverberated gently throughout the bleak and empty hallway. Hermione hefted her bag further up her shoulder as it began to slip. Her brow furrowed in confusion at the sudden arrival of the Potion's Master at her charms class. _What's happening?_ Hermione racked her brain for an answer, _He already said that he wouldn't be my guardian anymore._

Tentatively, she began her question, "Professor?"

The man slowed down and glanced at her, "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Um…where are we going, sir? I have Transfiguration after Charms and I don't want to miss it so-" Hermione cut herself off. _Stop babbling!_ she told herself firmly, "I mean, where are you taking me and what for?"

Snape stopped suddenly, "Here," he answered.

Hermione looked up and saw a large, stone gargoyle sitting menacingly atop a pillar of stone. It stood before a stone archway majestically and Hermione looked puzzled.

"The…Headmaster's office, sir?"

"Yes," Snape responded before uttering the password. The stone arch pulled apart to reveal a set of winding stairs leading up and the gargoyle statue now offered a smooth place to stand, "Go on up."

At the top of the spiral steps, a single door stood shut. Snape brushed past Hermione and pushed the door open. The Headmaster looked up with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

"Professor Snape, Miss Granger. What a pleasant surprise," greeted the Headmaster in a tone that indicated he wasn't surprised in the least, "What can I be doing for the pair of you?"

"Miss Granger is here to sign the forms, Headmaster. Kindly produce them," Snape snapped irately.

"Fo-forms, sir?" Hermione squeaked out.

"Yes m'dear," the Headmaster eyes lost some of his twinkle, "Are you saying you _didn't_ come here to sign the forms?"

"I don't know about any forms, sir. Professor Snape brought me here right out of Charms. I don't even know what I'm doing here," Hermione explained quickly.

The Headmaster nodded before aiming a sharp look at Snape, "I shall have to leave to two of you to the delightful news then," he waved his wand, and a stack of papers appeared on his desk, "The forms are there, Severus. I _do_ rather prefer you did it in your quarters," the Headmaster said admonishingly before leaving.

"Sir?" Hermione asked.

"Read the forms," Snape ordered briskly, "I haven't got all day."

Hermione nodded and snatched up the forms, quickly scanning the contents.

"These are adoption papers, sir!" Hermione said excitedly, looking up, "Are you adopting me?"

"You _are_ holding adoption papers with _ my_ signature on them waiting for _your_ approval. Yes, one could gather that," Snape responded.

Hermione scribbled her name on the designated spots before hurling herself into Professor Snape's torso for a hug, "Thank-you, thank-you, _thank-you_!"


End file.
